A Conversation With Dennis Kucinich

Posted on Jan 6, 2008

AP photo / Charles Dharapak

Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich is accompanied by his wife, Elizabeth, as he stops by Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., the location of Republican and Democratic debates Saturday. Kucinich was not invited to participate in the debates.

Hedges: Do you think it is because in a presidential election they do not want to appear weak on defense issues?

Kucinich: One does not want to appear weak. That’s true. But one should also not want to appear unintelligent. How intelligent was it to send our troops into a war without any proof that Iraq had anything to do with 9/11, al-Qaeda’s role in 9/11, the anthrax attacks in the country ... that Iraq had no intention or capability of attacking the United States? There was no proof that Iraq had been involved in 9/11, had weapons of mass destruction. Why did we do this? So it was thoroughly unintelligent for these leaders—who made the choice to appear tough and turned out to be unintelligent. So now the American people are being given a choice and, really you have candidates who voted for the war when they could have stopped it, or to fund the war and reauthorize it. All of them have voted to fund the war or reauthorize it. The war, you get to the point, where the war in the debates actually was given four years’ life by having candidates Obama, Clinton and Edwards all agree that the war could continue to 2013.

Hedges: Why? What is the reason?

Kucinich: I think there is a mindset that comes from a complex of an implicit understanding of the power of those interests who profit from war and of the power of war as an idea and of being unwilling to challenge the status quo. A president has to represent the status quo, but what do you do if the status quo is corrupt? So they certainly know by now the war was wrong. If the war was based on lies, you tell the truth. You take the plan to get out. They are not talking about that. They are talking about a long-term occupation. There is no question about it: Everything speaks to a long-term occupation. If the Republicans win, we stay in Iraq. If the Democrats win, we stay in Iraq, unless I am the one who gets nominated. I put the plan out there to bring our troops home immediately, HR 4232. You have to keep in mind [that] if you want to know where people stand today, you have to look not at the broad brush of where the Democrats are, but at the individuals. Sen. Clinton took a hard-line position against Iraq, and she voted 100 percent of the time to fund the war until the last vote. Sen. Edwards took a hard-line position to attack Iraq. He voted all except one time to keep funding the war. Sen. Obama said he opposed the war before it started. He gave one, single speech, got elected—and his voting record is identical to Sen. Clinton’s in voting to support the war. How can you expect anything different? Even if Sen. Edwards says he made a mistake, if you look at the track of preparing for another war against Iran the same people—Sens. Clinton, Edwards and Obama—all said of Iran that “all options are on the table,” licensing George Bush’s aggressive rhetoric and preparations against Iran. They said that, each one of them.

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Hedges: Can they use the Congressional authorization for Afghanistan and Iraq? Can the Bush White House interpret that in such a way that they can carry out a strike on Iran without going back to Congress?

Kucinich: Well, Congress actually had an opportunity to pass a resolution that would have forced the administration to come back in the form of an amendment. They rejected it. This Congress has, unfortunately, licensed the administration’s aggression, first by not holding them accountable for lying to Congress in the resolution that was brought before the Congress in October 2002. You may be familiar, Chris, with the dissection I did of that resolution, the Iraq war analysis of 2002. ... [Y]ou will see, what I did was dissect the thing draft by draft, statement by statement, and this was before Congress voted. If I can do this, why couldn’t have any of the others running for president today? This is when it counted. This the moment of maximum peril. This is the moment that America was about to go and launch a war of aggression against another nation. When I started challenging this, I was alone. Then there were six members, then 10 and then it grew to 125.

Hedges: How much is the reluctance on the part of the other candidates to address the Iran issue [as] an Israeli issue?

Kucinich: Sen. Edwards spoke [at the] Herzliya [conference, and] three times in one speech he said all options are on the table. Everyone understood what that meant. It is a metaphor for the use of nuclear weapons. It is unambiguous. Sens. Obama and Clinton at various times said the same thing. Anyone who is really supportive of Israel—and I consider myself supportive of Israel—would recoil in horror over the thought of the United States attacking Iran, because it is Israel that would end up paying the price. Anyone with an ounce of common sense understands that, which is why we have an obligation to move towards creating peace in the region, engaging Iran in diplomacy. I had an ongoing discussion with the Iranian ambassador [Javad] Zarif. I found out that an effort was made three years ago by the previous Iranian administration, [that of president Mohammad] Hatami, to settle the issues that were outstanding between Iran and the United States. It was thrown in the wastebasket by the Bush administration. There have been numerous efforts to try and build relations, and they all came from Iran. They were immediately, each and every one of them, rejected because the administration was determined to go on a course of action of aggression. [The November 2007] National Intelligence Estimate could have been much more severe in its judgment of the administration. It served a purpose in slowing down the movement towards war, but it does not totally stop it by any means because this administration is absolutely devoted to war as an instrument of policy.

Hedges: If this administration carried out a strike on Iran, would you predict that the Democratic leadership would support it?

Kucinich: I think you have to look at the sweep of legislation in the last year and a half. Anyone who looks at that could not conclude otherwise. It would just be a continuation of licensing of aggression against Iran. There is nothing that indicates they would do anything other than that because of the bills we have passed. I was often the only one, or one of two, who consistently challenged what we are doing with respect to Iran, voting against legislation that I knew was being used to lay the groundwork for war. It was very clear. There were maybe 14 different resolutions that were out there, and each time I went to the floor and I rose and I spoke against them. I said, “What are we doing?”

Hedges: What happens if we do not begin impeachment proceedings?

Kucinich: We haven’t proceeded with impeachment because the leadership says impeachment is off the table. Effectively, what they have done is to nullify the one provision of the Constitution that protects the American people from the presidency turning into a monarchy. Congress’ co-equality depends upon impeachment. Our democracy depends on the president and the vice-president being held accountable for the crimes they have committed against the American people. It is about lying, weapons of mass destruction, lying about Iraq’s so-called alleged connection to al-Qaeda and 9/11, trying to conflate Iraq with 9/11, trying to imply that Iraq had some ability to attack the United States or the intention to do so—in Cheney’s case, trying to build a similar case for a war against Iran based on lies again. But it is much more than that. It is responsibility for the deaths and injuries of thousands of American troops and over a million innocent Iraqis, the destruction of our domestic agenda by borrowing $1-2 trillion from China for the war, the ruining of America’s reputation, the wiretapping, the eavesdropping, the rendition, the torture, the suspension of habeas corpus—

Hedges: None of which the Democratic Party has rolled back.

Kucinich: None. Zero. I have to tell you, one of the things I was greatly concerned about is when I read that our Democratic leaders have been thoroughly briefed on torture, on waterboarding, as the Washington Post reported a few weeks ago. If you are silent, when you hear that, if you say nothing about it, silence becomes complicity.

Hedges: Is this because people like Hillary Clinton want to inherit an imperial presidency?

Kucinich: I don’t know about that. That becomes a consequence of not taking action. There might be something in that the American people would be so fed up with the Bush administration that they would once again take it out on the Republicans. But I frankly don’t think that will happen. I think what is more likely to happen is that people will become so disenchanted with the Democrats for not taking action that they won’t vote. People will just say there is no difference. They have not done what they said they would do. There is a loss of confidence. And so people will not vote. When we show up as a party with the full power of the Constitution behind us, the people will show us, too. They will show up.

Hedges: How do you feel about citizens’ movements, such as Code Pink, calling on people not to pay their taxes? It is built out of that frustration.

Kucinich: I understand that. That is a civil disobedience tactic. It also invites scrutiny by the IRS, which doesn’t really care about anyone’s politics. They just care about getting the money they are owed. It is a brave thing for people to do because there is a degree of risk in doing that. Why should people have to do this?

“That weve taken the gene of corporate America and shot it into both political parties.”

And you, Congressman Kucinich, helped destroy third party challengers so that there ARE only two corrupt parties to choose from. I am disgusted with both the corporatist parties, who equally condone mass murder overseas and a rush to a police state here at home.

Kucinich, in his total sellout to the party in 2004, shilled for warmonger Kerry at the convention. Thus, he betrayed his own stated values (throwing away his credibility with those paying attention), and he endorsed a warmonger little different than Bush on matters of genocide, mass murder, imperialsm.

Kucinich has actively helped to destroy the Green Party with his bogus front group the “Progressive Democrats of America.”

They aren’ so much Progressive ... as Democrats. And they are reliant upon suitcases of very dirty money from their very dirty sponsors, money that is exchanged for political favors not in the interest of the many. Keep drawing smiley faces on your party of corruption, Dennis.

i’m proud that an amerocroat thinks much like i do. i’d like to posit a few observations anent unique structure of US governance: it’s by far the most efficient system ever designed to control domestic and foreing pops. US has a one-party system; it’s a goose w. two wings. when it’s ab. cosmetic changes, one wing may flip another flop but when it comes to exapansion the goose’s wings beat in unison.
we can also note that lotsof dems oppose the war agaisnt iraq not on any recognizable panhuman principle but on a mere perception: aggression of iraq being a failure; in fact it isn’t. it’s actually a brilliant success for the ruling class. thank

Although I have placed my support an dFaith now fully behind Obama- He was not my first choice, and barely my second ( Loved Gravels Moxie, and angry Outrage- the Two faces of Purple Girl- Peace loving Ass Kicker).
Dennis speaks what is (and has been in) my heart and mind for Decades. WE ahve been betrayed - we have been Taken for a ride which has ended up dropping US off Nowhere.WE have not just lost our Way- we were Highjacked and forced off course. Teh Repugs were always a Known quanitity- but the deception by the Dems has rocked my core.I was willing to compromise through the Clinton yrs -pleased when neither side was happy with policies- compromise are like that . But I was foolish enough not to realize there was a third side hiding in th eshadows tha the was playing to - who always won. W has done th esame but with arrogance and wild abandon. I can See Clearly Now.
When I hear Obama supporters are ‘starry eyed’ I laugh- He is far more Moderate than most recognize or admit. when I hear ‘Change’ I Cry, for the real Concepts alludes them. The New Millenia should be a time of reflection on the past- what worked , what failed. Dennis is able to see which policies and Entites should be saved, should be scraped , should be revived and should be Prosecuted! thus he was hoodwinked right out of the Election, by those who do not want to even compromise, let alone change- short sighted.Change will come and vengence will be strong. Stop looking at the bottm line and LOOK UP and to the Future. there is life after the 20th century, for the Inc’s too they just need better Farsight.
Thank You Dennis for all you’ve done and all you will do. Aspirit such as yours will not be silenced or held captive. Even being an Atheist- I think many Past Honorable and Peace People smile on you- including my Hero John Lennon. “All We Are Saying…Is Give Peace A Chance” ‘Power to the People” my friend and REAL Inspiration!

jtg, I understand what you say very well. I see it though, we had better gang up to fight back while we might. Something worse surely will come down the ugly road if everybody knowing (Amy Goodman, Ralph Nader, Michael Moorer,Dennis and so on) stays fearfully passive. Meantime, Alan Miller of patriotsquestion9/11 is giving us one start to basic self defense. Call these guys out now. Or die a thousand times.

Good idea, except that the 9/11 coup is an open secret in corridors of power the world over. One can guess it’s not being investigated to avoid a constitutional crisis and global financial meltdown, or it could be as simple as this: everyone’s certain there’s still loads of that US-gov.-issue, weapons-grade anthrax out there and it’s damned easy to deliver. Those who orchestrated 9/11 will stop at nothing.

How many Congressmen does one suppose might have heard this line? “A new 9/11 investigation wouldn’t be wise. It’s so sensitive we’re not sure we can guarantee the safety of any who pursue it, or their families.”

Protection is all these people can offer - oldest game in the book. Better get use to it. They’re not going away no matter how you think you’ve voted.

Will the real John Borowski please stand up. Why don’t you use another pen-name? There have been other posts by Borowski who may not have been you. It may have been you now that I think of it, you do not believe in using paragraphs.

Dennis, to insure Democrats get in this time, you and Gravel and Nader and Moorer and others at patyriotsquestion9/11 who admit to knowing there is a 9/11 coverup could grab headlines with it, like hang it on Cheney if you want to keep it simple enough for the US voter. The Republican side would trip all over themselves, maybe inadvertently shed light on the matter….A la LBJ, make them deny it, whilst you and others point out the but 3 times skyscrapers of steel melted from flame were together in 9/11. Then, keep bringing up all the other plain lies, how a large airplane could not risk tearing itself up spiriling on down into the low walled Pentagon without one of the very best pilots in the world gone insane etc etc. The more fact brought up the more the Republicans would demonstrate their seperation from reality…till more and more folks would concern themself do they want somebody so clearly gnarled as snapping John Mccain.

A farewell to you commentators. What I find with Truthdig is still another fraud that we live in and orients the reports to insult the intelligence of the average person. A comment that was attributed to me was false and the comment I made was deleted in response to this false comment. Only after I objected to this chicanery that I do not ridicule my own comments that Truthdigs service people reinstalled my retraction without deleting the false comment. When I tried to be a registered commentator, Truthdigs service people commented to me that I would receive an E-mail to advise me as to how I can register. This E-mail never came. Two more times I tried to register and when I applied Truthdigs service people rejected me because this name is already taken. I would suggest that Truthdig rename to Falsedig. At least they would be more honest than they are now. When I contacted Truthdig about the above there was no reply and no restitution.

You must know your ABCs in order to understand the XYZs. When chicanery is used to resolve chicanery it always ends in tears. Most recent tears are the stock market fraud of the 1920s that caused a depression that took until the middle of 1950s to heal. (World War Two helped expedite the end of the depression) The Dot Com fraud in 1999 that still has yet to heal. The carry trade fraud in Japan (Also the pulling out of Japan to exploit cheaper labor else-were) that has since put that country on its back. The Japanese real estate fraud (Tokyo was falsely worth more than the entire California) that has caused a virtual depression for more than fifteen years in that country. The Sub Prime fraud that put the American people on their backs and out of their homes. The excessive consumption fraud using rising debt instead of rising income (Actually income was attenuated). The false flag frauds that caused ineffable suffering and tragedy here and abroad. The current fraud of tax rebates to prevent Wall Street from caving in that will eventually destroy the American standard of living and quality of life.(What little is left of it) The helicopter fraud hovering over Wall Street. (Dropping dollars) The election frauds that put people in office that didnt belong there. The lowering of interest rates to keep the bacchanal fraud going full blast. Why the wealthy foreigners (Aka Federal Reserve) didnt take away the punch bowl when the party got out of hand is an unknown. All of the above has or will end in tears for the American people. The Republicans (Aka Conservatives right wingers) have a track record of healing the frauds with still another fraud rather than healing with probity and rectitude. They will fight good by falsely fighting evil. The seminal seed of all of this tragedy is the right-wing policy of letting the capitalist make money any way they can. (Regardless of whether they are honest or not) Their primary rule is, cheat to your heart’s content, but don’t get caught. (If you do we’ll not help you) There is an exception to this rule today because of the trillions of dollars that has been lost. If the Aka (Federal Reserve) didnt help them we would have an era that would make the 1930 era look like an era of prosperity in comparison. Behind the cloud of obfuscation lie even greater frauds looming for their turn to be exposed. A trillion dollar fraud here and a trillion dollar fraud there and pretty soon youre talking big money. Any one with the name of John Q. Public is a moron in my opinion if he supports the Republicans. (Aka Conservatives right wingers) At the moment Johnny Q is buying gold to shelter what little he has left of his wealth, but what happens when the government confiscates their gold like they did in the 1930 era?

Dennis, you are one of the thousand plus (from 40 two Septembers back) at patriotsquestion9/11, and, this is the revolution, indeed the revolution presently possible. Otherwise, changing schizoid nation from within is too rotten for Jesus or Budda or Amie Goodman or any of you till you rip this shit bloated (fortunately presented) underbelly that is the 9/11 coverup from crazed idiotic wretches. Dennis, see patriotsquestion9/11, how many allies you now have, and get your guts up.

I do not get it, We the People need the Revolution A republic that follows the rule of law on the other hand, with the idea of checks and balances and a wide range of people from across a large demographic deciding on what is in the best interests for the “individual” supports the idea that none can ever be discriminated against as all people are treated equally. If laws are structured that way to empower or protect the individual then all of the individuals that make up the whole country would have exactly the same opportunities and the same hinderances as everyone else so that we all get a fair shake.
Look at the original method of funding the government for example, “all taxes levied upon the citizenry shall be fair and apportioned”. The founders would be loading their guns right now for a run on DC if they saw the income tax system and the central bank that we have today.

Honestly, it is the candidate that matters this time around with Ron Paul. The only reason to really vote R this time around is because RP is running as R and I am honestly ashamed to say that as my family comes from a long line of R’s, but I have come to the realization that the ideals that the party stood for are long gone which is why RP is such a breath of fresh air. Now if the R’s get their act together and go back to their libertarian roots then they by far in my eyes have a superior ideology towards liberty and freedom, the “D”‘s, not so much.

So Mr. Kucinich is out of the race , locked out by his own Democratic Party , a political party that he knows is controlled by corporate America , along with the Republicans . Yet the Kucinich Clingers can’t seem to accept that it is over - he will never come this close again .
Yet he does not possess the courage to go to his constituency and use the “L” WORD , in other words if his constituency wish for him to continue , he and they must both embrace at least a conversation about LEAVING the Democratic Party now and begin in a new direction outside the corporate arena called the “Two Party System” .
In the mean time , the only way to change this debacle we call our “Federal Government” is to challenge the corporations that control it . Mobil/Exxon just posted record profits , exceeding last year’s record profits . Obviously Americans are putting this money in Mobil’s coffers by purchasing gasoline and other petroleum products manufactured by Mobil/Exxon . I refuse to buy their gas , even if it is lower in price than someone else’s product . If we do not begin to let American Corporations feel or hear our dissatisfaction , we are finished as a democracy . DIY - DO IT YOURSELF - STOP WAITING FOR SUPERMAN OR SUPERWOMAN TO JUMP OUT OF THE PHONEBOOTH TO SAVE THIS COUNTRY AND IT’S MIDDLE AND LOWER CLASSES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If Dennis Kucinich proved anything , it was the fact that our government cannot be changed from the inside , because change and it’s messenger will not be allowed inside . This country is in crisis , and we cannot afford the complacency that put us here .

Our corporate democracy in it’s present form is a sham. What’s more is that those who are most corrupt want it exported abroad, truth be damned. While fake oppressive regimes are proped up in places like Saudi Arabia, and all over Africa protecting corporate interests for the piliging of raw materials. The aristocracy of plundering imperialism.

Meanwhile S.America is trying to become socialist.

And your vote does not count. They’ve even insured that. Repdempublicates have spoken!

I love this guy. He was by far the best speaker of the pack. Edwards only pretended he cared about working people and proved his guttlessness when he debated Cheney and Lost! But Dennis has more guts than the lot of them and the best looking wife to boot.

He is more like an Independent, like Bernie Sanders of Vermont. That same sort of truthteller.

To be honest though, it was a hopeless quest: Dennis had some downsides, not the least of which was his looks. Sorry, America just isn’t ready for a nonReagan, a not pretty boy. Maybe that’s why Hillary has a chance against McCain, cause he’s too old to be pretty. But then she’s not a boy either. Obama? who knows but he’s got an uphill battle now.

Lookism is too much with us. But even that could have been overcome but the flying saucers, the mixed legacy as boy governor…he did alienate much of Cleveland then even if he was right about the attempted utility takeover… but many Clevelanders can’t resist reminding us of the Dennis the Menace of those days.

History will be kind to Dennis and perhaps he’ll be Senator someday or a vice president candidate. Obama you listening? No doubt Hillary wouldn’t take him.

This is a very enlightening interview. Thank you for running it and thank you, Chris Hedges, for doing it.

I was particularly shocked and disgusted at how the Big Bad Bank flexed its muscle in Cleveland, attempting to force Dennis, as the new mayor, to sell the city’s municipal power to private corporations, or face a cut off of future financing. Look for more of this in our cities in the future, especially with regard to power and WATER.

Like many of the responders, I am puzzled as to why Dennis Kucinich (who definitely speaks truth to power) would continue to hang in with the Dumocrats. Is it money to continue financing his campaigns for Congress?
Is it fear that the Dums will (as seems to be currently happening) push him out of his Congressional seat by financing other Dums?
It’s can’t be ideology anymore, or progressive action programs being implemented.

We The People have available to us two extraordinary intellects who have our interests at heart and in their political convictions, right now! When will we ever again have two such brilliant lights, with good politics and strategies to save this country, a history of good deeds, and, most importantly, INTEGRITY, available and ready to run for the Presidency?

Support Ralph Nader’s current exploratory venture by going to his website set up for that purpose. Just google NADER EXPLORES 08 PRESIDENTIAL RUN. Suggest Kucinich as a running mate. Or maybe John Edwards?

We can do so little to affect the power structure these days, but following our hearts and acting in whatever way we can, is still important, if only to your own spirit and sense of right action.

my vote will count even if my candidate will not run. I refuse to vote for democratrepublican or republicandemocrats which ever. okay, i may vote for obama but no when it comes to voting for the two evils, i will take the green, party that is. my only option until there is one person one vote.

“On Wednesday, Kucinich announced he’ll be filing articles of impeachment against President Bush on Monday.

That’s the same day of the president’s State of the Union address.

The announcement comes as Kucinich railed the President and Vice President for how they have handled the war in Iraq.

In his lengthy statement, the Ohio congressman said, “The President and Vice President lied and 4,000 of our soldiers died. The President and Vice President lied and a million innocent Iraqis died in a war that’ll cost us $2 trillion while people here in the states are losing their jobs, their health care, their homes, their dignity. Lies are weapons of mass destruction. Lies are also an impeachable offense. Monday, January 28th is the State of the Union. We already know the State of the Union, it’s a lie.”

After minor commotion on the floor and opposition by Republicans, the ostracized presidential candidate moved to have his words taken off the record.

Kucinich said, “I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the offending words, to the end that they be stricken from the record and that I be permitted to revise and extend my remarks for the record.”

***

Now, it’s important to remember in their eagerness to protect themselves from a serious attack of truth and honesty, the congress has passed rules forbidding anyone from calling the president, or a member of Congress a liar from the floor.

Well, we’re not on the floor!

It will be terribly hard to get their attention just now, because the dems and the repubs are getting all pretty and proper, and wangling for a place on the aisle so they can be photographed shaking the Liar’s hand as he marches down the aisle, but we need to try!

Letters to the editors! Phone calls! Write those anchors who spew the news on cable! Write your Mother-in law! Write and phone anybody and everybody you can think of!

AND, the candidates will be in D.C. for the grand event. PUT PRESSURE ON THOSE POOR FOLKS WHO ANSWER THEIR PHONES!

Hillary Rodham Clinton (202) 224-4451; Barack Obama (202) 224-2854; John McCain (202) 224-2235
Be nice. All you need do is say, “I support Kucinich in his effort to impeach the president and the vice president, and I’d like to know how [insert senators name] feels about impeachment.”

It’s the numbers that count!

Don’t expect a commitment, truth terrifies candidates during an election.

The main thing is they need to know folks out here don’t like liars!

Like Kucinich, we may all be shut out, but we can still make things a tad uncomfortable for the phony’s snuggling the Bush!

Brzez**** appears to have truly feared the socialist model of the USSR would grind the US under Brezhnev’s disembodied heel. Indeed, the USSR social model was defeated and the International Banks won - much to the worsening of life for Russians. If it wasn’t for the price of petrol, they would be done for. So now we have Soviet-style freedom of the press in our eyes and our ears and the banker’s jack boots on our throats. The worst of both worlds.

As for evangelicals, it’s true that evangelicals voted for Reagan over Carter in 1980 but remember who those evangelicals were for in 1976. It’s sort of like the mujahadeen: Carter brought them in, but Reagan pumped them for a lot more madness. So now we have rabid Christians and Islamists in a tug of war-mongering over Zionism. The worst of both worlds.

It’s kind of a dirgeful refrain: “the worst of both worlds.”

Don’t get me wrong, I like Carter; I think he’s a good and honest man, but he was surrounded by some awful people, not least of which, Brz******.

Kucinich could have led us out of this mess maybe, but Clinton/Obama is just more of the same disaster in foreign affairs…maybe worser still.

To antispin :
If you read the entire content of my post , you would realize that I did not give Mr. Carter’s tenure as President high grades and the point I made in relation to Mr. Carter’s quest for the White House was the sole focus of my comment . My exact words were :{ Jimmy Carter’s Presidency may not have been one of the greatest in U.S. History , but at least Mr. Carter had the gusto and ambition to personally take to the streets , knock on doors and introduce himself personally to Americans . At least Mr. Carter took personal action in his quest for the Democratic Nomination .}
I would rather have “peanut man” as President because as far as I am concerned he was one of the most honest - probably the last honest President has seen or will see . At least he worked on peaceful solutions to world problems and has continued to work on fair elections around the globe - and also do not forget that he is one of the founders of Habitat for Humanity .
As far as Zbigniew Brzezinksi is concerned , I fail to understand the criticism he has received by so many people commenting on this site . He is a far better man than most National Security Advisors before Mr. Carter’s Presidency and after .
To correct your error on another historical fact ,it was “The Great Communicator ” Ronald Reagan who funded the Mujahidin . As for JFK , courage had little to do with his death . JFK made the grave error of believing that he was larger than life and the same can be said for his late brother Robert . After all , they thought they had a lock on the leadership of this country and in turn , the world at large . THE KENNEDYS WERE A POLITICAL DYNASTY , for God’s sake !!!!!!!!! Only the most naive American could believe in 2008 that John F. Kennedy was spotless and that he did not have some responsibility for the fate he met .
As far as evangelicals are concerned - sorry but you can tag Mr. Nixon and Mr. Reagan with that also .
So to antispin , it would seem you are really PROSPIN or you have a bunch of remedial reading assignments in Recent United States History .

This is the first race Senators have actually had a legitimate shot at the white house in decades. Insider Senators though. Corporate Media pushed Senators. You know that Kucinich and Paul have no shot in this political environment, even though the groundswell is present to. There isn’t any complaining about it, it is what it is. Carter’s time was completely different from today’s world and politics. The dominant party systems are crumbling from it’s own weight of bribes, kickbacks, Enron debacles, pernicious administrative tactics, outright lies, manipulation of representation of facts and strong arming tacticks to this nations representatives.

It is what it is, and the public is not blind to the extent of the curruption which is embedded currently and formerly. We just realise the the diatrabe of debate is held hostage for the status quo, which is unacceptable. That’s his point.

I wonder at the lack of commenting too, but I don’t blame Mr. Kucinnich - I know he (1) has a full time job in the Congress which he needs to be in DC for to vote and that has meant lots and lots of back and forth - he’s much more involved there than the other candidates. (2) has a lot less money to get his message out…I wonder why???

Give the guy support if you support him, but don’t pretend like Peanut Man is some sort of holy roller in comparison. Carter gave us Brezinski (sp?), evangelicals and the Muhajadeen…among other things. I suppose if he had the courage of a JFK he’d be dead…not simply drummed out of office after one term.

This Conversation with Dennis Kucinich piece has been on display for all to view and read for 16 days . It has garnered a grand total of 31 comments (32 counting this one ) in 16 days . If you do the elemetary division you arrive at a point of relative disinterest in Kucinich saga . On average this interview has received an average of 2 comments per day .

Mr. Kucinich’s non-actionary strategy is working perfectly , with more and more people losing interest in him every day . Sure , there are those who linger with comments such as “if Dennis did this or that ” , or “Kucinich is a victim of the Democratic Party ” or “yah dah , yah dah , yah dah ” Dennis Kucinich is the only person to blame in this debacle . If he really was seeking the Presidency , he has had many other option to at least attempt to make that goal a reality . He has chosen to sit and whine and tell us everything he would do as President .
Jimmy Carter’s Presidency may not have been one of the greatest in U.S. History , but at least Mr. Carter had the gusto and ambition to personally take to the streets , knock on doors and introduce himself personally to Americans . At least Mr. Carter took personal action in his quest for the Democratic Nomination .
Mr. Kucinich will be fortunate if he is allowed to attend The Democratic Party Convention . Hang in there Dennis , maybe you could create the “The Pity Party” and garner an historic low of 6 to 12 votes .

I don’t care about the real world, or globalism or any of that which has done irreprable damage to our system and the people of the democracy.

The democratic system itself has become a sham! That is what the article touches on. That the workers have been sold down the river by the very interests (big business lobbys, insurances, special interests) that have infiltrated every aspect of the electoral process. Right down to who and what issues get discussed legitimately and extensisvly.

My opinion now, like Kucinich said is that “Americans are entitled to a fullness of debate, it’s not democratic to try and shut one point of view out”. Yet that is what is occuring in this day of advanced democracy among us. Corporate interests rule over and hold it hostage to even the debate of what could be. “The Democratic Party is lacking understanding of the period of history we’re in”.

In todays real world “America” your either part of the solution or a big part of the problem, the marginilization of the average worker and the dumbing down of the content of discourse to the advantage of keeping “status quo” intact that controls both party monopolys at this juncture, which has hijacked the true American interest of government by the people for the people.

Unfortunately, that’s real. I leave with a last Kucinich quote to ponder, “To me, what you do in life is you stand up and you fight for those things you believe in. And you do it without a question or a pause, to take a phrase from one of my favorite songs.”

By Ronnie "Reeferseed" Gjemre, January 18, 2008 at 1:44 am Link to this comment(Unregistered commenter)

“Non-Interventionalism”, has been championed for decades by Ob-Gyn Dr. Ron Paul! Who put us in charge of everything everywhere, anyhow? Learn from this veritable “Founding Father” among us now, about how peace and freedom truly rely on each other…

Congressman Kucinich is ahead of his time. And, because of that, he has been marginalized by lower level thinking which is the level of thought from which the overwhelming majority operates. In spite of the fact that I appreciate his efforts and hope he continues to forge on in our government, I would not personally invest any of my time or resources in getting him elected. The problems in this country are simply enormous and our country must be taken out of the hands the neo-cons so I put my efforts behind someone I believe is electable in 2008. But many blessings go out to Mr. Kucinich, from my heart.

“We dont need to do that, not in todays world. That is a throwback to the 19th century or maybe even the 18th century. It is not germane to a modern world. The problems today are non-state actors.”

If the world is to go on for another few centuries it will have to be because Dennis’ thinking becomes the rule rather than the exception, everywhere. If this doesn’t happen pretty soon, no one will have to worry about much.

i can’t believe Kucinich was arbitrarily excluded from televised debates by the media.
Can someone explain to me the difference between private interests funding a candidate’s political campaign, and private interests bribing a political candidate? Disney didn’t fund Kucinich so he didn’t get to play?
It’s vomit-inducing.

How Does It Feel ?
How Does It Feel?
To Be On Your Own .
Like a Rolling Stone .
(Bob Dylan)

How does it feel Dennis ?
To speak the truth and be treated like a leper by your beloved party , to be treated like an outcast , to be locked out of your own “house” ?
Yet you plod on , speaking to deaf ears , allowing your colleagues and the American press to paint you as a whining complainer .
Ralph Nader knows the hollow feeling , and is still whincing from the welts of the punishment doled out by the dysfunctional Democratic “Family”.As I watch your hopes of a presidential run fizzle , I can’t help but sense that there is something missing deep inside you , something that Ralph Nader , and even former Senator James Jeffords of Vermont possess . They had the courage to walk away from their respectve dysfunctional parties and walk away with heads held high and no looking back .
You have been involved in politics for quite some time now and you must realize how what used to be a fair process is now a tightly controlled ,staged “drama” by both party’s national committees . The outcome of the process is already written , but we must go through the traditional motions to assure that the American voters believe they are in control of this fraud .
Yet you are satisfied to talk the talk , not courageous enough to take the walk outside . So while you are being buried , take the time to write your own political obituary and then lie down like a good doggie .You honest and all the good stuff , but if you remain a Democrat you might as well face the oblivious future ahead of you .
I wish you were the Democratic Party’s choice , but you must know by now they are no longer the party of the people and you are being orphanned . You must either take a walk in uncharted waters (for you) or face reality - as a prospective Democratic candidate you are already done and there is only one solution to that dilemma - walk . Do not look back . You may not become President , but maybe you would turn some heads and gain the public respect you need direly at this moment in time .

Part of me would like to see the MSM candidates debate DK fairly, but I reckon I’m just as glad not to suffer through their attempts to explain why DK is not right about (1) war/peace (2) health care (3) corporatization (4) military/industrial/congressional complex. I’d expect we get the same infantilism as Drivel Bore (the unbearable Driven Bear) has offered.

It is, after all, the Bushites such as he who’ve been coaxed into tilting at quixotic windmills.

“Fortune is arranging matters for us better than we could have shaped our desires ourselves, for look there, friend Sancho Panza, where thirty or more monstrous giants present themselves, all of whom I mean to engage in battle and slay, and with whose spoils we shall begin to make our fortunes; for this is righteous warfare, and it is God’s good service to
sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth.” - Donkey Bushie

The Iranians, the Iraqi, the Afghans, the Syrians - these are relatively peace-loving, quiet, devout servants of their Gods…whose blind faith blows gently against the sails of their mills, much like ignorant, peaceful people in the Appalaichans or the Mississippi Delta or the Catskills. (I’m a scientist and agnostic, but I don’t hate them for their ignorance.) That their governments are not always such is largely due to the war-mongering military-industrial-congressional complex that also has it’s jack boots firmly pressed against the necks of U.S. citizens.

It is our urgent duty to push aways these parasites (Exxon-Mobile, AT&T;, G&E;, etc.) for the good of all mankind.

Driving Bear is clearly one of those dull tools but bringing up 9/11 as an inside job makes you even duller. In fact, you just discredited everything else you said and made the possibility of Kucinich achieving any of his goals even less possible. Good job dip shit.

Good for you, Susan! I’ve already mailed by absentee ballot vote for Kucinich to the (Tallahassee) Fl Elections Office. Maybe enough ‘small voices’ can start echoing across the country and go into a huge demand by November!

Go back to your cave…
Your hibernation period has obviously been interrupted and you’re still ‘groggy’ (or inherently stupid).

The last seven years have been disastrous for America! Our reputation internationally is in the toilet and the stench from our foreign policy is befouling the air worldwide—-along with our disproportionate share of carbon emissions. Our economy is collapsing, the US dollar is dangerously devalued, our infrastructure is collapsing, our citizens divided & confused, our soldiers dying in an illegal war, the Cold War is heating up again, our productive workforce is laid off, and the corporation-funded ‘leading candidates’ for the next administration are lying to us again!

Our government is pathetic: the executive branch, the Congress, and most of the courts are all guilty of “obstruction of justice” and “crimes against humanity” (including us). They are complicit in unwarranted armed aggression abroad and ignoring or denying our civil liberty and good governance safeguards in the Constitution & The Bill of Rights. Every facet of human existence is being controlled by corporations whose only bottom-line goal is profit and increasing power. Every administration since Jimmy Carter has ‘sold out’ to corporate special interest pressures and the American public has been so “dumbed down” by the mass media that they don’t realize it, don’t believe it, or don’t care. Just keep the variety shows, celebrity gossip, reality shows, professional wrestling, Faux News, and disconcerting radio talk shows about abortion, school prayers, evolution, etc. going!

Can it get any worse? Unfortunately, yes, and it probably will…a whole lot sooner than most of us can imagine. That is why this 2008 general election may be our LAST CHANCE to start turning things around. Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate out there who is not talking ‘mystically’ about CHANGE, he is offering us reasonable steps to take that will effect that change! He is the only one whose voting record backs up his statements! The others speak well, say the right things, show the proper facial expressions (& maybe even a phony tear or two), but their voting records clearly show that they are LYING TO US AGAIN. Don’t be suckered again! Don’t let the corporate controlled media tell us who can be elected! It’s not by coincidence that Kucinich is being excluded from their coverage…they are afraid of him! He doesn’t take their money so they will fight his candidacy with every dirty trick imaginable.

Therefore, let’s revolt! Let’s tell the lobbyists, the PACs, the political analysts, the ‘news’ reporters, the pollsters, ad infinausium…to SHOVE IT!! Let’s send Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich to the White House next year and replace as many of the traitorous Congressmen/women as possible!

If all of the politicians in DC were to understand the message of the Dhali Lamma and Ghandi as Congressman Kucinich seems to, this nation/ world would never be in the state its in. Mr. Hedges, you mite want to pick up on that as well, as you have the right instincts, but refuse to see the cause.

You still haven’t figured out that 9/11 was an inside job. Did you know that there are many former members of the Military, many of them have PhD’s that also have come forward and said that there is substantive evidence that 9/11 was an inside job.

Did you know that if you visit the FBI website and go look at Osama bin Laden’s Most Wanted poster, it does NOT include charges for the 9/11 attacks. When Rex Tumb of the FBI was asked by journalist Jim Marrs why wasn’t Osama bin Laden charged with the 9/11 attacks, Rex Tumb replied: “We don’t have any hard evidence to charge Osama with the 9/11 attacks”.

On February 5th when we caucus in my state, I will stand and announce that “As an unreconstructed New Deal Democrat who survived the Great Depression thanks to the New Deal, I must on principle cast my vote for Dennis Kucinich, the one ‘true’ Democrat running”. As to whether or not he could win, we really don’t know that yet. But if those in sympathy with his candidacy don’t stand up and be counted, it’s a certainty he won’t. I am hoping the younger voters will throw away their iPods and Nintendos for a moment and help pull our country out of the mess we elders have gotten ourselves into by joining the Dennis supporters. I do see some signs of that, and just maybe we can turn things around.

If our economy is so terrific, how come I just read on the web yesterday that the Taj Majal in India is no longer accepting US Dollars to enter the museum. In fact, India will no longer accept US Dollars at any of their tourist attractions. They will only accept Rupees now, Driving Bear.

Furthermore, maybe your economy has seen little change under the Clinton - Bush years, but the fact is several million of American families have gone into poverty since 1999.

I would be a little more concerned about the Corporate Fascism that is getting a deeper grip on our great country with every passing day than worry about Islamic Fascsim. If we succumb to Corporate Fascism, Driving Bear, it really won’t matter what the Islamic Fasicst do, because we will be in hell right here at home.

Several months ago, during one of the youtube-sponsored debates, I first heard Kucinich speak. I forget what he said, but his values and platform stuck with me.

Fast forward to today and we see the results of Iowa and can project the results of New Hampshire, and I wonder how many Americans will vote for Kucinich to stand up to the causes he represents that Obama, Clinton, and Edwards stand against regarding the future of the Democratic Party and our soldiers overseas.

Will Dennis be elected president in 2008? It’s a long shot at best, but maybe the winner will recognize talent and skill and opinion, and select him for the vice presidency. A fantasy? Let’s see.

So DRIVING BEAR, you think wanting peace not war is crazy? You think making PEACE an organizing principal of our foriegn policy crazy? You think wanting a full employment economy is crazy? You think providing NOT for profit heatlhcare to every American is crazy? You think defending the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Democratic Process is crazy? You think getting off our oil addiction and moving toward sustainable energy is crazy? You think protecting the environment of our beautiful planet is crazy? You think giving this country back to WE THE PEOPLE is crazy? You think what has been going on with a BUSH/CHENEY administration has NOT been crazy? I think you better look in the mirror sir, because YOU are the one who is crazy!

I will not be voting for any of the so-called Democrats who are actually employees of the Corporations who are funding their campaigns. I will only vote for Dennis Kucinich for President. If I have to I will write KUCINICH on the ballot with a black felt tip marker in big block letters.

Great interview Truthdig! In these times of Corporate controlled media, it is a blessing to find websites such as these covering the real candidate who has the credibility and intelligence to turn this country around in it’s time of need.

Kucinich is clearly one of our only honorable elected officials, but he cannot do it alone. If we want any positive change to come out of our government, we need to toss out the current corporate stooges and fill the halls of Congress with Americans who care and have read the Constitution.http://www.peacecandidates.com

This is a comment I posted elsewhere here as well; It boggles the mind to think, the things we do in the name of WHAT? I don’t know…..............

I have a question, many actually: What does it say about us, that a man like Kucinich not only exists, but is actively seeking the presidency and is largely ignored by us? Forget the press, they are followers of which ever way the wind blows; we ultimately control our destiny and could have anybody we want for president and just look at the things we choose. Its as though we are willing to shit our own nest; how disgusting is that? I guess this is further evidence we actually do get the things we want. Which answers the question of how we got Bush/Cheney. This is not a pretty picture. Being in love with similes, metaphors and allusions; its kind of like being in prison and being given the keys to get out, but forgetting what a key looks like.